The embodiments described herein relate generally to support systems for railcars and, more particularly, to an internal support system for a railway hopper car that allows a loading arm to freely move within the hopper car from hopper compartment to hopper compartment for most of the length of the hopper car.
Railroad cars generally have one or more compartments for storing and transporting materials. At least some known railroad cars include roof panels that include one or more access openings or hatch ports. Hatch ports are provided for loading the compartment with product and are usually located at the top of the compartment defined in the roof panel. Hatch ports usually have an elongated elliptical cross-sectional shape and are frequently provided with a collar extending outwardly about the periphery of the hatch port. A hatch cover is provided to close or seal the hatch port.
Known railroad cars generally include bulkheads positioned within the railroad car to separate compartments and to provide structural support to an outer shell of the compartment. Hatch ports are positioned between the bulkheads for loading and unloading a respective compartment. With respect to loading at least some known railcars, a worker will insert a loading arm into an open hatch port. Material will be pumped or transported through the loading arm into the hopper compartment. When the corresponding hopper compartment is full, the loading arm is removed an then inserted into the next open hatch port so the next hopper compartment can be filled. With respect to at least some known railroad cars, a worker inserts a probe through the hatch port and into the compartment to facilitate unloading the materials through the bottom of the compartment. The probe is used to breakup the material to get it to flow out the bottom opening. The worker inserts the probe into each compartment separately, which increases the time spent unloading the railroad car. Additionally, as the probe is inserted and removed through each hatch port for unloading, the hatch port, bulkhead, and compartment shell may become damaged as the probe moves about the compartment to unload the materials. A system is needed that facilitates loading and unloading a hopper car. Specifically, an internal support structure is needed to allow a loading arm and unloading probe to move unimpeded from one hopper compartment to another.